The two-part launch of the iPhone 18 series is now considered virtually confirmed: Contract manufacturer Pegatron stated in its quarterly earnings report that the base model of the iPhone 18 will not be released in September as usual, but will not be available until early 2027. For the first time, the company cites specific supply chain issues as the reason, rather than mere software or hardware cost-cutting measures.
Pegatron cites chip and memory shortages as the cause
During the presentation of its financial results for the second quarter of 2026, the Taiwanese manufacturer explained that customers must adjust their delivery schedules due to ongoing shortages of memory chips and other semiconductors. Accordingly, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to launch in September as usual, while the standard iPhone 18 will not go on sale until the first quarter of 2027.
According to Pegatron, this is due to two parallel issues in the supply chain: bottlenecks in semiconductor manufacturing and a structural shortage of key components. Reports indicate that TSMC is unable to complete the production of SoCs for upcoming iPhones due to the memory shortage. As a result, chips worth approximately 870 million euros are said to have already accumulated, still awaiting packaging.
Pro Models Given Priority for Scarce Components
Because the higher-margin Pro models are more important to Apple from a business perspective, the company is prioritizing their supply of the scarce components, according to Pegatron. This allows the traditional September launch for the most expensive iPhones to proceed as planned, while the more affordable base models will be delivered later.
Pegatron also expects the shortages to have an overall impact on the global smartphone market. Its own shipments could decline slightly this year—not because of weak demand, but because the supply of components cannot keep up. According to the manufacturer’s assessment, the memory shortage is likely to persist for some time; Pegatron does not expect supply and demand to balance out until 2028 at the earliest.
From Rumor to Confirmation
Leaks about a staggered launch of the iPhone 18 series have been circulating for months, though at the time they cited a different reason: Leakers pointed to insufficient hardware upgrades in the base model as the cause of the delay. Pegatron’s statements now provide, for the first time, a reliable, economically plausible explanation directly from the supply chain.
If this timeline is confirmed, Apple would be breaking with its long-standing practice of releasing standard and Pro models simultaneously. The iPhone 18, with its unusual RAM configuration, would thus not hit the market until spring 2027, while the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max would launch in September as usual.
Sources: Notebookcheck, Economic Daily News
